


Beyond Burn Marks

by UselessPanther



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-06-08 06:24:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6842533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UselessPanther/pseuds/UselessPanther
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Hey Carmilla, I’m the fire captain and this is my daughter, Laura” the captain flashed his daughter a smile as she returned him one, “I’m staying up late for work and I thought you both could use a company for the night”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beyond Burn Marks

Beyond the Burn Marks

Carmilla Karnstein was 13 years old. The house smelled like cream and sugar, probably from all the sweets, cupcakes and cookies her mother baked. Everything was so warm and cozy, mostly lit by florescent lights as well as the colorful light bulbs that danced around the fir tree sitting in their living room.

It was Christmas eave, Carmilla helped moving the dishes from the kitchen to the serving table while her brother, Will, sat up the plates and accessories on it. Her dad attempting to help in the kitchen - he failed miserably of course, so he went back to setting up more lights inside and outside the house. 

The doorbell rang and Carmilla greeted her best – and quite frankly, only friend - Ell inside, along with her mother. Ell and her mom lived next door to the Karnstein residency; she and Carmilla became best friends after a couple of snarky comments and comebacks. Their families are also close friends; almost spending most the holidays together. All of them are practically one family.

They sat together for dinner, Ell besides Carmilla.

“I’m ready to gain 10 pounds in one night” Ell leaned towards Carmilla

“You always say that but only end up eating whatever salad you find” Carmilla teased, just in time while Ell was pouring herself a hefty amount of salad. 

“Excuse me for being a healthy eater! I might as well eat whatever salad I find until I manage to forget that dude chopping the cow’s head off in that video!” Ell exclaimed 

“It’s a cruel world,” Carmilla curled a smirk at her 

“Yeah, well, you stay up late reading weird novels, having energy drinks and would practically burn if woken up at 10 A.M” Ell shifts back in her seat, taking a bite of her salad “Vampire”

“Ditto, you got me” Carmilla chuckled back and decided to take a huge slice of steak, making a show while flopping it down to her plate just because. Ell exhaled a scowl, shaking her head. They both went back to acting as if they were listening to whatever their families were talking about. Carmilla let out a small smile as she averted her eyes to her plate.

She couldn’t be any happier.

 __________________________________________

Their parents started moving the empty dishes back to the kitchen while she and Ell stayed cleaning up whatever was left behind. She’s not sure what had happened, Will basically ran from joy towards the kitchen first and turned on the lights.

Then that’s all what Carmilla saw; bright, blinding light followed by a screech so high like a fast train coming to abrupt stop. Everything suddenly fell into sheer darkness.

After a while or what felt like a while, Carmilla collected all the energy she had left to just…open her eyes, and god why does she feel so exhausted, so out of breath she’s coughing her lungs out, and it’s not like she was running a marathon! She was standing next to Ell seconds ago throwing used napkins at her, right?

Right? 

Carmilla dragged her eyes open, it stung, and soon became watery. The air around her was so thick and black, she fell right back into it. 

__________________________________________ 

Carmilla woke up sucking air to her lungs and coughing in between inhales, she was finally able to breath. Carmilla straightened her back and examined her surroundings, she was lying on a white bed with side rails and the room was painted with light green, a cheap painting of flowers hung on the wall she’s facing. 

She figured she’s in a hospital.

Just on cue a doctor followed with a nurse entered the room, he smiled at her “Hey…Carmilla” he started “Well aren’t you-”

“Where’s my family? Where is Ell?” Carmilla interrupted, she didn’t feel like playing meet and great. 

The doctor hesitated, eyeing the nurse “Ell is quite fine, actually she’s in the room next to this one! You both were very lucky; you didn’t inhale too much smoke. I’ll be getting you both on an antibiotic and inhaler, and then you will be able to leave together by tomorrow morning.” 

“Peachy” Carmilla bit back “Care to explain the medical agenda of the rest of my family?” The doctor was clearly taken aback by her snapping at him, probably not the typical 13-year-old girly girl response he expected, but Carmilla couldn’t care less about that too. 

The door pushed open again, an old woman dressed in a knee-high black skirt with a matching jacket and a white shirt walked inside, Her hair pulling up as a bun neatly. Carmilla guessed that the woman was probably dragged here half way through a meeting otherwise there is no explanation to how she’s dressed like. 

The doctor mumbled something and went outside, Carmilla’s gaze following him out the door until he met a fairly buff man wearing ragged fireman uniform. They both got invested in a conversation. She reverted her attention back to the woman standing at the edge of the bed, a fake smile creeping on her cheeks. Carmilla knew a fake smile when she saw one; after all, she does it all the time.

“Oh my dear child, thank god you’re well,” The woman breathed out. Carmilla eyeing her skeptically “Ah! Where are my manners, you can call me maman-”

“Maman?” That’s it. Carmilla wanted answers and she wanted them now. It’s not enough that she’s basically being treated like a five year old, or the fact that her heart is beating uncontrollably now because something feels so horribly wrong. “Stop baby sitting me what the hell is going on!” 

The woman stared right through Carmilla, as if she’s planning to pierce holes across her body by simply gawking. “You want to be treated like an adult? Fine by me… your family is dead, so is the other girl’s mother. Tomorrow morning I’ll be sending one of my employees to take you two to the foster care I run. I expect you to be grateful I offered you both a shelter in such short notice…Oh and by the way, keep your interesting language to yourself.” 

Carmilla was now clenching the rails of the bed so hard her knuckles turned white; she felt her lungs collapsing again as she fought to breath, her tears flooding her face and sobs escaping from her mouth. Carmilla felt trapped in the dark smoke again, unreachable… helpless and disconnected from the world.

She needed to see Ell.

Carmilla flew her hands around unplugging whatever is attached to her body; she became lightheaded as she abruptly stood on her feet, still holding to the bed. Carmilla only managed to reach halfway across the room before a nurse stopped her on her tracks. She struggled against her but she was too tired and the nurse kept blabbering stuff about protocol and how she has to stay in bed. 

“I just want to see Ell” it came out more like whimper, she felt like she’s continuously being stabbed in the gut and she just wanted to see her best friend god is that too much to ask.

When Carmilla sat back on the bed she saw the man in the firefighter uniform standing in the room, a little girl beside him holding his hand, carrying a back pack. “Hey Carmilla, I’m the fire captain and this is my daughter, Laura” the captain flashed his daughter a smile as she returned him one, “I’m staying up late for work and I thought you both could use a company for the night”

Carmilla laughed, almost hysterically “Am I in the hospital or a damn get-together? Yeeaaah sure cutie…cut a ticket and enjoy your stay at this hell hole!” 

__________________________________________ 

Laura sat on the chair near the bed while Carmilla curled between the sheets. She examined Laura, her light hazel hair separated in half, spreading on top of her shoulders curling a bit just towards the ends. 

Their eyes met.

“What’s your name?” Laura flashed a smile, tilting her head to the right. Carmilla pulled at the sheets completely ignoring her question. 

“Were you crying? You seem sad…” Laura trailed off “I’m transferring to a new school! My dad told me you’re in it and we could become best friends if I was nice enough” 

Carmilla wished this were a terrible nightmare because it keeps getting worse every time she thinks it couldn’t and –

“Did I just say that out loud?” Carmilla looked back at Laura, she turned red and was making weird face expressions as she muttered gibberish. Carmilla is almost amused.

Almost.

Laura zipped her backpack open, and took out a cupcake with cream icing from a Tupperware. She extended her hand towards Carmilla “Cupcake?”

“You sure ask a lot of questions…Cupcake” This felt weird, Carmilla should be at this girl’s throat at this moment, not making snarky comments.

“I’m not cupcake! My name is Laura”

God she is so obvious,

“I’m Carmilla,” she whispered. Laura gave her a small smile.

She couldn’t help but to return it.

 __________________________________________

It’s been two months since the accident.

Carmilla and Ell are walking back together from the school. They didn’t settle in the foster care, they couldn’t. They are stuck there until they are legally adults. Promising each other they’d leave and rent an apartment, together. 

Carmilla has been spending more time with Laura now that she transferred; admittedly she visited her house a couple of times. Laura usually does all the talking in their conversations and all she gets from Carmilla are her usual snarky comments, but somehow she seemed to enjoy it. 

The more time Carmilla spent with Laura, the guiltier she felt. She’s worried sick for Ell, she tried reaching out to her every moment she could but without luck.

She used to be this energetic girl who’s the popular kid in school, is in good terms with everyone and basically the kid your mother says you should be more like.

Now she acts like an empty shell.

Carmilla doesn’t blame her… how could she when she herself still wakes up at night, coughing for air, screaming for Will not to open the lights because the gas is leaking and the house was surrounded by lights and electricity already, basically turning it to a bomb.

Sometimes she woke up to Ell whimpering in her sleep… just like her.

And now here she is, walking beside Ell. Both washed up in complete silence. 

Ell suddenly averted her walking to the right, getting Carmilla’s eyebrow to rise, questioning where she’s going. Carmilla followed Ell until she stopped in front of the fire station. They pass by it every day and not once did Ell come to mention it, what possibly is going onto her head now?

Ell was so fixed on looking at something, naturally Carmilla looked at whatever is taking all Ell’s attention. The fire-training center, now recruiting Carmilla read. 

“Let’s become firefighters” Carmilla wasn’t sure she heard Ell correctly. “We will get involved with community service and take courses as much as we could until we’re old enough to get in” Carmilla’s heart dropped and no words seemed to get out of her mouth and all she wanted to say was are you insane. 

Ell turned towards Carmilla, clasping both her hands “We will be the best firefighters, the best duo on the team…we…we will save a lot of people and their loved ones” Ell looked directly at Carmilla, she could see her eyes tearing up a little and oh god are you insane.

“Hey, you know the fire Captain! You’re friends with his daughter Laura, you’ve been hanging at their place a lot…He’ll make sure we get trained well” 

Carmilla has never seen Ell so invested in something since the accident, she looked so alive, so energetic but this whole idea is crazy. However it sparked life back to Ell

Carmilla had a mini war going on inside her brain but she looked back at Ell, who is still holding her hands, waiting for an answer.

Hell whatever Carmilla saw in Ell’s eyes won’t stop her from doing this, even if she didn’t tag along.  
She’s also not about going to let the closest thing she has left of family sprint through fire without watching over her.

“I’m in”

 __________________________________________

Ell might as well be rebirthed because she’s back to getting straight As, joining clubs inside the school and a lot more outside the school. Carmilla couldn’t keep up with Ell unless she is dragging her personally to events and community service works so they could add them to their resume. 

Carmilla is just happy as long as Ell is. 

 __________________________________________

This is Carmilla’s third Christmas eave since the accident. Ell explained something about this huge festival that she has to go to, Carmilla didn’t feel like coming.

So now she’s at the Captain and Laura’s house, curled up at the corner of Laura’s dark room actually. Crying.

The house smelled like a bakery, Laura and her dad making cookies and hot cocoa downstairs and it felt awfully familiar, it’s breaking Carmilla’s heart all over again.

“Carmilla?” her face darted to the door, Laura standing there. Carmilla didn’t have the guts to look at her, she started wiping her tears quickly, mumbling I’m sorry I just couldn’t stop it. Her voice breaking in between and she just wanted to drown in a pool of nothingness. 

Suddenly she felt soft hands enveloping her weak frame, Laura’s head cradled in her neck.

“It’s okay to cry,” she whispered.

Carmilla’s eyes were wide from shock; she sniffed before dropping her hands around Laura, and then she let it all out.

After a while Carmilla was downstairs decorating the tree, she felt light. As if she lost a burden she didn’t realize she was holding. 

“Okay I’m so excited I can’t contain this anymore!” Laura was exactly behind Carmilla, shouting. 

“Alright…what is it cupcake?”

“I got you harry potter, the whole series”

“You mean that childish novel? Could’ve done better”

“…WHAT”

 __________________________________________

Five years later and Carmilla and Ell are officially nick named the unstoppable duo. 

They made it as firefighters, one of the best upcoming firefighters. Just like how Ell wanted to. Carmilla grew to like it as well.

However Ell was clearly better than Carmilla, she knew every regulation, every possibility, applying drills effortlessly and instinctively. Their colleagues kept saying Ell would make the perfect fire inspector, and Carmilla will be the future fire captain. Its true Carmilla may not be as professional as Ell, but she knows how to handle tight situations, even if she doesn’t always go by the rules.

Okay she mostly doesn’t act upon the rules, but she gets the job done. 

  __________________________________________

This was their first day on the field.

They struggled inside the burning apartment spotting nobody. They went inside a room, a children’s room Carmilla guessed.

Still, no sign of anyone.

Ell, however, said that she spotted a hand. She opened the closet and uncovered a young boy underneath a pile of clothes. Carmilla hoisted the boy up and they rushed only to discover that the way out was now completely engulfed in flames. Ell scanned their surroundings calmly. So did Carmilla.

“There!” Carmilla shouted, gesturing her head at a way out. She caught Ell smiling as she clapped Carmilla’s shoulder.

They Charged through the blaze and ran out to safety.

The fire is out and the kid was safely taken to the hospital, he will be all and well soon. 

She and Ell were swarmed with their colleagues, Theo and kirsch hoisted Ell on their shoulders all three of them laughing. Others attempted to lift Carmilla next to Ell but she bickered Personal Space! at them and emerged out of the yellow pool.

Laura was standing next to her car, smiling like an idiot.

“Guess the town has a new hero now” Laura started dusting dirt off Carmilla, which was pointless, a typical act coming out of her when she’s nervous. Not to mention she looked at every possible thing except Carmilla’s eyes.

“I wouldn’t put it that way,” Carmilla laughed at how much she changed. She considered herself anything but a hero. At the beginning she did this to watch over Ell, that’s still a very valid reason. However, weirdly enough when she held the boy in her hands she swore she saw Will’s face for a moment. As twisted as this may sound but she felt like she’s saving her own family from the fire. 

It brought serenity to her life. 

Breathing smoke and fighting against rubble, metal and fire made her feel a stronger.

Carmilla held Laura’s shoulders and whispered her name, Laura finally looking at her now.

“I’m gonna be fine, everything is gonna be fine” Carmilla strengthened her hold as Laura nodded, then she hugged Carmilla. 

It’s by far not the first time they hug but Carmilla couldn’t help being shocked at the beginning. She felt thousand emotions twirling inside of her, like autumn leaves winding and whirling fantastic trails around her heart in the most exquisite and delightful way.

She can’t help but smile – however hard she tries to appear unaffected, her lips just keep grinning. She felt light… airy, and cozy. Nothing can hurt her. 

Dammit did Laura creep under her skin. 

__________________________________________ 

Carmilla was sleeping on her bunk when the fire alarm woke her up. The routine goes like every other time, Ell drops from the upper bunk and takes Carmilla’s hand, helping her up as they race towards the fire engine.

However this time it doesn’t go by the routine and Ell isn’t on her bed. Carmilla hesitates before running outside “Kirch! Have you seen Ell?”

“She’s already there,” he shouted back

Carmilla stood a bit confused for moment, but she got ready quickly and jumped on the fire engine.

The upper part of the house was mostly on fire; Carmilla’s insides began twitching when she couldn’t spot Ell out in the clear. Instead she spots someone else, the captain.  
He shouted out instructions to them, asking them to launch the water hoses and contain the fire and just stay put. Apparently a small party is already inside searching for victims. Carmilla intentionally kept a close space from the captain, eavesdropping on his portable radio as the party informed him with their movements. 

The sound of breaking wood erupted, followed by a wave of heat. 

“Sir! We lost track with Ell” Carmilla whipped her head, her feet becoming heavy as she ran towards the captain, swallowing lumps of coal and fear and this is not happening.

“What do you mean you lost track of her?!” The captain is yelling now, his voice sank deeper into Carmilla’s surroundings although she’s only five feet away from him.

“She-She went upstairs, she said somebody is up there but the stairs collapsed before we caught up with her. Sir, it’s getting hard to see, we’re surrounded by smoke”

The captain studied the house then shifted his head, staring blankly at Carmilla when she reached his side.

“Get out” He said through the transmitter.  
What?  
“Sir-”  
“I Said get out” 

Carmilla ran towards the house.

Fuck regulations, fuck safety, she personally saved many people, holding them between her hands and on her back. She’s not about to lose the only person she swore to protect, even if it meant she had to burn instead. She’s not losing her, she’s not losing anyone anymore

Two firefighters slipped through the front door and she was about to shout you filthy cowards before a hand yanked her from her back, she fought against the two firefighters who dragged her backwards when they reached her. “LET ME GO I’M GOING TO-” she screamed at the top of her lungs, clawing them with her hands.

Just when the house exploded.


End file.
